NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Travel

Inside the most wasteful celebrity jets - Taylor Swift's private jet to Kim Kardashian's G650

Thomas Bywater
By Thomas Bywater
Writer and Multimedia Producer·NZ Herald·
2 Aug, 2022 07:30 AM7 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Floyd Mayweather, Kim Kardashian and Beyonce were among the top ten worst offending private jet users.

Floyd Mayweather, Kim Kardashian and Beyonce were among the top ten worst offending private jet users.

This week the Yard Report named and shamed the worst offending private jet users. Using flight data from chartered jets, the report compiled the travel habits of celebrities and their carbon cost.

While the purpose of the report was to "highlight the damaging impact of private jet usage", it opened our eyes to the profligate use of private aircraft. It showed just how much more costly they were to the environment versus a seat on a commercial carrier.

Also, just how ready set celebs are on using private jets. Who uses a LearJet to travel 10km?

Here's a look at some of the worst offenders and their private planes of choice:

A woman disembarks Taylor Swift's private jet, a Falcon X7, at Queenstown Airport. Photo / File
A woman disembarks Taylor Swift's private jet, a Falcon X7, at Queenstown Airport. Photo / File
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Taylor Swift - $40m

Dassault Falcon 7X

Pop star Taylor Swift's addiction to private air travel was exposed after it was revealed she had made 170 trips this year alone. She was revealed to be the worst offending celeb emitting almost 1200 times the average passenger's share of CO2.

The accusation by fans that Taylor was recklessly burning jet fuel was hard to shake off. She made a muted excuse that not all of the 380 hours in the air were hers, as she is known to lend out the aircraft.

The star's $40m Falcon 7X gets plenty of use and, with large 'lucky number 13' painted on the front, is easy to spot. She has been seen taking regular short trips out of Nashville of under 40 minutes.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

However, the Bad Reputation star's choice of aeroplane is quite modest in comparison to her celebrity peers. Although, Swift by name, she might be the celeb who spends the most time in the air. (15.9 days this year!)

Floyd Mayweather is no lightweight when it comes to private airmiles. Photo / Instagram
Floyd Mayweather is no lightweight when it comes to private airmiles. Photo / Instagram

Floyd Mayweather - $50m

Gulfstream III

The boxer's own air habits were close behind Taylor swift. The livery of his GIII with a red and white stripe and lettering is a knockout. Mayweather's not abashed at sharing the inside of the plane with regular social media posts of him and The Money Team playing poker aboard the jet. He was named in the report as second worst offender, 1011 times more carbon emitted by the average passenger per year. Ouch!

Kim Kardashian flaunts the view from her private jet. Photo / Instagram
Kim Kardashian flaunts the view from her private jet. Photo / Instagram

Kim Kardashian - $150m

Gulfstream G65OER

Discover more

Travel

Celebrities roasted after private jet data revealed

31 Jul 10:01 PM

You'll need twin Rolls-Royce BR725 engines to keep up with this Kardashian. Kim Kardashian reportedly owns a Gulfstream 650 Extended Range. The favourite plane of billionaire jet setters, it's the same model as Jeff Bezos' and Elon Musk's private planes. Who wore it better?

Throwback to that time I surprised Kanye with a trip to Japan for his birthday! He had to guess where we were going based on the snacks and magazines I had the plane stocked with! He was happy! pic.twitter.com/JuSrFr5w9n

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) February 22, 2018

Dubbed "Kim Air", the plane took a year to custom build and fit out according to her reality television show. The final cost is said to add up to an eye-watering $150 million.

The star faced backlash after making four flights of under 20 minutes last month.

As well as a two flying bathrooms, Kim Air has space to sleep 10 guests.

Kanye West travels by private 747 jet. Photo / Instagram, Screenshot
Kanye West travels by private 747 jet. Photo / Instagram, Screenshot

Kanye West - $400m

Boeing 747SP

Not to be outdone,Kim's former hubby, musician Kanye West's plane of choice is a private Boeing Jumbo Jet.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Yeezy - subtle as ever - chooses to fly on the largest, most glamorous passenger plane ever built. The Queen of the Skies is a double decker designed to carry up to 660 passengers. While we hope they are full, even Kanye West's entourage isn't that large.

The Touch the Sky singer has reportedly transformed most of the top deck with a marble bathroom and a double bed.

According to the self-proclaimed "pop enigma" and fashionista, the plane was "gifted" to him as part of his contract with Adidas.

Beyonce on the couple's private jet. Photo / Instagram
Beyonce on the couple's private jet. Photo / Instagram

Beyoncé and Jay Z - $40m

Bombardier Challenger 850

Hova's favourite pastime is hovering at 30,000ft. The Challenger 850 registered to Jay Z was one of the busiest celebrity jets last year. Reportedly a "present" from wife Beyoncé the jet sees plenty of use from the pair of them. With 19,296 minutes flight time for 13.4 days Jay Z and Beyonce were the Bonnie and Clyde of climate villains.

The couple also own a classic Learjet.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Steven Spielberg $70

Gulfstream G650

Catch him if you can.

The veteran Hollywood director has been giving us thrills and spills on the big screen since the early 80s. However there's one blockbuster record he won't be as proud of.

Taking 61 flights and emitting 4,465 tonnes of CO2 this year alone, he was the sixth worst offender for private jet usage. While the filmmaker's Gulfstream is less aesthetically flashy than his celeb peers it's no better for the environment.

We have one piece of advice for the ET director to cut down his air miles - on yer bike!

Lady Gaga's favourite fashion runway - her private jet. Photo / Instagram
Lady Gaga's favourite fashion runway - her private jet. Photo / Instagram

Lady Gaga - $80m

Boeing 757

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The singer and avant garde couturist spends a lot of time jetting out of her native New York.

The retrofitted Boeing 757 is normally used as a narrow-body commercial carrier. However Gaga uses it to fly round her team and her three French Bulldogs Asia, Koji and Gustav.

When not being used to shuttle the singer between shows it is used as a catwalk. Gaga's instagram is full of images of her posing in the cabin. Stripped of most seats, the jet holds cream leather sofas and plenty of space for partying on the move.

surely my stainless steel straw will offset whatever CO2 drake’s plane emits to fly one person for 12 minutes pic.twitter.com/xJ3iLHyqEK

— Hurt CoPain (@SaeedDiCaprio) July 24, 2022

Drake - $185m

Boeing 767-300

Air Drake is hard to miss. The Sky Blue fit out of a reclaimed Cargojet plane has a hieroglyphic owl on the side, Air Drake written on the engines and "IF YOU'RE READING THIS WE LEFT" painted on the underside. The interior of the plane is as extra as the music of Toronto's Own.

The cargo space has been fitted out with mirrors and rotating leather seats for putting in the miles while touring the world's stadiums. Designed by Virgil Abloh of fashion house Louis Vuitton, it's a one of a kind.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The distinctive markings mean the Jet Setter can't hide from criticism.

This week he had to defend a 14 minute flight between Toronto and Hamilton. The rapper defended himself saying it was being moved for logistics and maintenance.

"Nobody takes that flight."

It was still branded as "wasteful". The quarter-hour flight reportedly emitted around five tons of carbon dioxide.

Kylie Jenner has her own pink private jet. Photo / Instagram
Kylie Jenner has her own pink private jet. Photo / Instagram

Kylie Jenner - $72m

Global 7500 Express

Equally eye catching, Kylie Jenner owns a pink Global Express. The celebrity bought it in 2020 as a birthday present and, while it spent much of the pandemic grounded, in 2022 she's been making up for lost time.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Your plane or mine? Jenner came under fire after sharing 'his and hers' jets with Travis Scott. Photo / Instagram
Your plane or mine? Jenner came under fire after sharing 'his and hers' jets with Travis Scott. Photo / Instagram

The reality tv star came under fire for flaunting the jet on social media, parked up next to boyfriend Travis Scott's own private plane. "You wanna take mine or yours?" read the caption. Scott's own jet habit is substantial. The report found he was the worst offender for short flights with an average journey of 11.2 kilometres. Travis, you could walk that.

Oprah was included in the top 10 worst-offenders for jet emissions. Photo / Instagram
Oprah was included in the top 10 worst-offenders for jet emissions. Photo / Instagram

Oprah Winfrey - $75m

Bombardier BD-700 Global Express XRS

The billionaire media mogul, Oprah Winfrey is a busy woman. So suggests the flight records of a BD-700 belonging to her production company HARPO.

The 68-year-old TV personality was found to have burned through 3,493.17 tonnes of CO2 this year alone.

Ten most profligate private jets

1. Taylor Swift

2. Floyd Mayweather

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

3. Jay-Z

4. A-Rod

5. Blake Shelton

6. Steven Spielberg

7. Kim Kardashian

8. Mark Wahlberg

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

9. Oprah Winfrey

10. Travis Scott

Source:

weareyard.com

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Travel

Travel

Kiwi chef reveals most surprising foodie region in Aotearoa

21 Jun 06:00 PM
Travel

Auckland Airport flights delayed or cancelled due to fog

20 Jun 09:41 PM
Travel

Stylish, central and affordable? This Waikiki hotel may have it all

19 Jun 10:00 PM

One pass, ten snowy adventures

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Travel

Kiwi chef reveals most surprising foodie region in Aotearoa

Kiwi chef reveals most surprising foodie region in Aotearoa

21 Jun 06:00 PM

The chef chats to Herald Travel about unforgettable foodie experiences in Aotearoa.

Auckland Airport flights delayed or cancelled due to fog

Auckland Airport flights delayed or cancelled due to fog

20 Jun 09:41 PM
Stylish, central and affordable? This Waikiki hotel may have it all

Stylish, central and affordable? This Waikiki hotel may have it all

19 Jun 10:00 PM
Paris local reveals the underrated neighbourhood you won’t see on Instagram

Paris local reveals the underrated neighbourhood you won’t see on Instagram

19 Jun 06:00 AM
Your Fiordland experience, levelled up
sponsored

Your Fiordland experience, levelled up

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP